Robert Graves

Babylon

The child alone a poet is:
Spring and Fairyland are his.
Truth and Reason show but dim,
And all’s poetry with him.
Rhyme and music flow in plenty
For the lad of one-and-twenty,
But Spring for him is no more now
Than daisies to a munching cow;
Just a cheery pleasant season,
Daisy buds to live at ease on.
He’s forgotten how he smiled
And shrieked at snowdrops when a child,
Or wept one evening secretly
For April’s glorious misery.
Wisdom made him old and wary
Banishing the Lords of Faery.
Wisdom made a breach and battered
Babylon to bits: she scattered
To the hedges and ditches
All our nursery gnomes and witches.
Lob and Puck, poor frantic elves,
Drag their treasures from the shelves.
Jack the Giant-killer’s gone,
Mother Goose and Oberon,
Bluebeard and King Solomon.
Robin, and Red Riding Hood
Take together to the wood,
And Sir Galahad lies hid
In a cave with Captain Kidd.
None of all the magic hosts,
None remain but a few ghosts
Of timorous heart, to linger on
Weeping for lost Babylon.

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Child Of Babylon

(coverdale/marsden)
When I heard the sound of thunder
On the day that I was born,
I was blinded by the lighting
An baptised in the storm
My father started crying
When he saw what he had done,
But, my mother started praying
Have mercy on my son,
He is a child of babylon
I am a child of babylon,
Lord have mercy on a wayward son
Nowhere to hide, nowhere to run
I am a child,
A child of babylon
When Ive fooled around so many times
When Ive known it aint been right,
But, I paint it all in colours
When it really should be black and white
I sail my ship through muddy waters,
Try to open every door,
When I saw the seven wonders
It left me wanting more
I am a child of babylon,
Lord have mercy on a wayward son
Nowhere to hide, got no place to run
I am a child,
A child of babylon
On my day of judgement
I know how it will be,
Im prepared to meet my maker
With no hope for charity
Ill stand alone and pay the price
For everything Ive done,
cos there aint guardian angel
For a child of babylon
I am a child,
A child of babylon
I am a child of babylon,
Lord have mercy on a wayward son
Nowhere to hide, got no place to run
I am a child,
A child of babylon
Child of babylon

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I want to

I want to tell you a story, And you can read about it some more,

About a wise king called Solomon, who had servants do e Rey chore;

One day he heard the Lord God of Israel talk to him and say,

Because you chose to be my child, and my words you do obey,


I have decided to give you a gift and you can decide which to choose,

You can become very rich, so money, or wisdom, which can you use?

Solomon thought long and hard, and decided wisdom was the best,

And so God said because you wasn't greedy you can have the rest.


Solomon soon found out wisdom he did receive, from the Lord,

When 2 women came fighting over one baby boy he had heard;

The mother of the one who died said its mine the child that's alive,

But the other mother whose one who lived no that's mine, she does lie.


They both argued so king Solomon said cut the baby in two,

Let them share half each, In the bible you'll see it's true;

The real mother said no give to her, please don't destroy the boy,

But the other mum just kept saying slice him, she thought it like a toy.


So king Solomon said give the child to the mother over there,

She is the real mother, she was protecting him, cause she doth care;

Only a real mother could show so much love, enough to give away,

Than let her child be destroyed, Wise Solomon knew what to say.


Yes! Solomon received money as well, but becoming rich went to his head,

When he built such beautiful buildings, he forgot God, and said t'was I. Instead;

The Moral of this story, is don't forget to say Thanks to God for everything,

Never think that you did it all, God has made. So Give Praises to God as you sing.

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Rivers Of Babylon

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion.
By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion.
When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the lords song in a strange land
When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiering of us a song
Now how shall we sing the lords song in a strange land
Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion.
By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion.
By the rivers of babylon (dark tears of babylon)
There we sat down (you got to sing a song)
Ye-eah we wept, (sing a song of love)
When we remember zion. (yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
By the rivers of babylon (rough bits of babylon)
There we sat down (you hear the people cry)
Ye-eah we wept, (they need their God)
When we remember zion. (ooh, have the power)

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Words Of Wisdom

King Solomon was not a fool
When to the Lord he prayed,
For he knew well the Golden Rule
And this had been obeyed...
Yet now a kingdom he must guide,
Regardless, rich or poor,
As long as God stood side-by-side,
He could not want for more...

King Solomon was just a man,
He did not know all things
And yet he knew God had a plan,
God was the King of Kings...
So while God offered him a gift,
He served the kingdom best
If he could stem the tragic rift
With God and all the rest...

King Solomon desired most
God's wisdom here on Earth,
Yet not to brag and not to boast
Or seek to prove his worth...
He asked for wisdom, nothing else,
Not treasures or long life,
For these he knew were short term spells
While men on Earth survive...

King Solomon had pleased the Lord
Who gave these gifts to him
And all God's wisdom was outpoured
To fill him to the brim...
Consider wisdom and take heed
This poetry you see,
The Holy Bible's there to read...
Begin at Calvary!

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The Destruction Of Jerusalem By The Babylonian Hordes

They left their Babylon bare
Of all its tall men,
Of all its proud horses ;
They made for Lebanon.

And shadowy sowers went
Before their spears to sow
The fruit whose taste is ash,
For Judah's soul to know.

They who bowed to the Bull god,
Whose wings roofed Babylon,
In endless hosts darkened
The bright-heavened Lebanon.

They washed their grime in pools
Where laughing girls forgot
The wiles they used for Solomon.
Sweet laughter, remembered not !

Sweet laughter charred in the flame
That clutched the cloud and earth,
While Solomon's towers crashed between
To a gird of Babylon's mirth.

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Robert Louis Stevenson

Flower God, God Of The Spring

FLOWER god, god of the spring, beautiful, bountiful,
Cold-dyed shield in the sky, lover of versicles,
Here I wander in April
Cold, grey-headed; and still to my
Heart, Spring comes with a bound, Spring the deliverer,
Spring, song-leader in woods, chorally resonant;
Spring, flower-planter in meadows,
Child-conductor in willowy
Fields deep dotted with bloom, daisies and crocuses:
Here that child from his heart drinks of eternity:
O child, happy are children!
She still smiles on their innocence,
She, dear mother in God, fostering violets,
Fills earth full of her scents, voices and violins:
Thus one cunning in music
Wakes old chords in the memory:
Thus fair earth in the Spring leads her performances.
One more touch of the bow, smell of the virginal
Green - one more, and my bosom
Feels new life with an ecstasy.

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This Months Messiah

Im just a pilgrim here looking for holy ground
Im just a body lost but my soul can be found
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
I dont know where to turn when answers all fade clear
But I must find a place theres only questions here
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
I feel...feel like Im on trial
Who made a judge of you
Are you this months messiah
I am a fightin man tired of living under the gun
But am I looking for love or am I looking to run
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
I heard...i heard it on the wire
That its all up to you
Are you this months messiah
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
(mccafferty, agnew, charlton, sweet)
1984 fool circle music

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Mother-Daughter Love

Among the daisies
sat the child,
looking so ever
meek and mild.

Mother sat down
by the child,
looked at her daughter
and sweetly smiled.

Picking the daisies
with the child,
from those gathered
a chain was stylized.

Around the neck
of the child,
she placed the chain
of daisies wild.

Touching the daisies
the deaf child,
looked at her mother
and sweetly smiled.

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This Month Messiah

I'm just a pilgrim here looking for holy ground
I'm just a body lost but my soul can be found
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
I don't know where to turn when answers all fade clear
But I must find a place there's only questions here
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
I feel...feel like I'm on trial
Who made a judge of you
Are you this month's messiah
I am a fightin' man tired of living under the gun
But am I looking for love or am I looking to run
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon
I heard...I heard it on the wire
That it's all up to you
Are you this month's messiah
How many miles to go
How many miles to babylon

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Fairyland (feat. Don Pecker)

We're all going to fairyland,
To fairyland now we will go,
We're all going to fairyland,
To fairyland we are going.
Pixies and gnomes and fairies and elves,
Over the hills and down by the well,
Pixies and gnomes and fairies and elves,
Over the hills and away we will go.
(repeat all of that bit)
We're all going to fairyland,
To fairyland now we will go,
We're all going to fairyland,
To fairyland we are going.
Fairyland we are going
To fairyland we are going
To fairyland.....
We are going....
We're all going to fairyland,
To fairyland now we will go,
We're all going to fairyland,
To fairyland we are going.
Fairyland we are going
To fairyland we are going
To fairyland.....
We are going....

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Babylon Sisters

Drive west on sunset
To the sea
Turn that jungle music down
Just until were out of town
This is no one night stand
Its a real occasion
Close your eyes and youll be there
Its everything they say
The end of a perfect day
Distant lights from across the bay
Babylon sisters shake it
Babylon sisters shake it
So fine so young
Tell me Im the only one
Here come those santa ana winds again
Well jog with show folk on the sand
Drink kirschwasser from a shell
San francisco show and tell
Well I should know by now
That its just a spasm
Like a sunday in t.j.
That its cheap but its not free
That Im not what I used to be
And that loves not a game for three
Babylon sisters shake it
Babylon sisters shake it
So fine so young
Tell me Im the only one
My friends say no dont go
For that cotton candy
Son youre playing with fire
The kid will live and learn
As he watches his bridges burn
From the point of no return
Babylon sisters shake it
Babylon sisters shake it
So fine so young
Tell me Im the only one

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Today... 'Greater than Solomon

Solomon with Christ the Lord could never compare
For none like my Lord Jesus can be found anywhere
Solomon's great wisdom and glory was renowned
But in Christ God's Wisdom and Glory can be found

The treasures of Solomon just faded away
But the vast riches of Jesus will always stay
Though wise and rich king Solomon turned out to be
Jesus Christ is so much more powerful than he.

Jesus my Lord and God is far beyond compare
And His glory with another He will not share
That is why the people on earth heard Him declare
That One greater than Solomon was standing there


(see also the additional information in the Poet's notes box)

poem by Roy AllenReport problemRelated quotes
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The Fairy Boy

A mother came when stars were paling,
Wailing round a lonely spring,
Thus she cried, while tears were falling
Calling on the Fairy King:
'Why, with spells my child caressing,
Courting him with fairy joy,
Why destroy a mother's blessing,
Wherefore steal my baby boy?


'O'er the mountain, thro' the wild wood,
Where his childhood loved to play,
Where the flow'rs are freshly springing,
There I wander day by day;
There I wander, growing fonder
Of the child that made my joy,
On the echoes wildly calling
To restore my fairy boy.


'But in vain my plaintive calling,
Tears are falling all in vain,
He now sports with fairy pleasure,
He's the treasure of their train!
Fare-thee-well! my child, for ever,
In this world I've lost my joy,
But in the
next
we ne'er shall sever,
There I'll find my angel boy.'

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Breathe Babylon

Chorus
Babylon breathe babylon
I see you people babylon and on and on
Graven images, golden idols and false icons
Im seeking wisdom like solomon
But my antenae keeps on picking up evil transmissions
At headquarters I receive my mission
Blow up the ruler of the air like nuclear fission
So I analyze my weapons, laser guided rifles that shoot spiritual wisdom
I think I see enemy warriors,
Fragile heathens tryin to run stuff like mayors
So with brothas that snuff punks,
I set up time bombs to destroy the strong holds of babylon
Babylon breathe babylon
8x
We be tribes under grace, a righteous minority
Decadent culture make you forget your spiritual priority
Back down by the movement, soldiers who will serve ya
Open to be used by god, destroy you like medo-persia
Jewel of all kingdoms, live evil, purified hurrah take you down
Dont look back, overthrown you like sodom and gomorrah arm of the law
Guilty of all crimes I be like the great prophet isiah
Predict your fall over 150 times, got rhymes you could never use
For the purpose you be using, Ill dance over your fields
Present day iraq still lies in ruins lies,
Schemes, backstab persuasions bumrushed
Get crushed by us, this rescue invasion
Chorus
8x
Look to the sky, heed the warning
The shadow is coming, the shadow is coming
8x
The plagues are coming, the plagues are coming
I feel the breath of the death beast
4x
Misled bureaucracy, full of hypocrisy
I gotta steel pulse, looking for a true democracy
Destruction, now your walls have fallen
Just sitting here waiting for the train to zion
Sit down in the dust, babylon without a throne to call your own is 47:1
The city has fallen, she has fallen golden images of its god
Lie shattered on the ground

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Babylon

Babylon has fallen! Aye; but Babylon endures
Wherever human wisdom shines or human folly lures;
Where lovers lingering walk beside, and happy children play,
Is Babylon! Babylon! for ever and for aye.
The plan is rudely fashioned, the dream is unfulfilled,
Yet all is in the archetype if but a builder willed;
And Babylon is calling us, the microcosm of men,
To range her walls in harmony and lift her spires again;
The sternest walls, the proudest spires, that ever sun shone on,
Halting a space his burning race to gaze on Babylon.


Babylon has fallen! Aye; but Babylon shall stand:
The mantle of her majesty is over sea and land.
Hers is the name of challenge flung, a watchword in the fight
To grapple grim eternities and gain the old delight;
And in the word the dream is hid, and in the dream the deed,
And in the deed the mastery for those who dare to lead.
Surely her day shall come again, surely her breed be born
To urge the hope of humankind and scale the peaks of morn --


To fight as they who fought till death their bloody field upon,
And kept the gate against the Fate frowning on Babylon.
Babylon

poem by Alfred George StephensReport problemRelated quotes
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The Stolen Child

(wb yeats)
Come away, human child
To the water
Come away, human child
To the water and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand
For the worlds more full of weeping than you can understand
Where dips the rocky highland
Of sleuth wood in the lake
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water rats;
There weve hid our faery vats
Full of berries
And of reddest stolen cherries
Come away, human child
To the water
Come away, human child
To the water and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand
For the worlds more full of weeping than you can understand
Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim gray sands with light
Far off by furthest rosses
We foot it all the night
Weaving olden dances
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles
While the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep
Come away, human child
To the water
Come away, human child
To the water and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand
For the worlds more full of weeping than you can understand
Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above glen-car
In pools among the rushes
The scarce could bathe a star
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
We give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams
Away with us hes going
The solemn-eyed:
Hell hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside;
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast
Or see the brown mice bob
Around and around the oatmeal-chest
For he comes, the human child
To the water
He comes, the human child
To the water and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand
From a world more full of weeping than he can understand
Human child
Human child
With a faery, hand in hand
From a world more full of weeping than he can understand...
Than he can understand...
He can understand...

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By The Rivers Dark

By the rivers dark
I wandered on.
I lived my life
In babylon.
And I did forget
My holy song:
And I had no strength
In babylon.
By the rivers dark
Where I could not see
Who was waiting there
Who was hunting me.
And he cut my lip
And he cut my heart.
So I could not drink
From the river dark.
And he covered me,
And I saw within,
My lawless heart
And my wedding ring,
I did not know
And I could not see
Who was waiting there,
Who was hunting me.
By the rivers dark
I panicked on.
I belonged at last
To babylon.
Then he struck my heart
With a deadly force,
And he said, this heart:
It is not yours.
And he gave the wind
My wedding ring;
And he circled us
With everything.
By the rivers dark,
In a wounded dawn,
I live my life
In babylon.
Though I take my song
From a withered limb,
Both song and tree,
They sing for him.
Be the truth unsaid
And the blessing gone,
If I forget
My babylon.
I did not know
And I could not see
Who was waiting there,
Who was hunting me.
By the rivers dark,
Where it all goes on;
By the rivers dark
In babylon.

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Babylon

Forever, youll be remembered as the one who played it cool
Whenever they speak your name theyll say its you who broke the golden rule
But heres what I really want to know
Did you see the writing on the wall
Chorus:
Babylon
How long can this foolish magic carry on
Babylon
Who will love you when the fantasy of youth is gone
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
And did you play beneath the stars
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
How you played the dealers cards
Remember how you loved the laughter
A kingdom on the rise
Crys in the night would turn you to song
And when they call ooh you sang along
Heres what I really want to know
Did you see the writing on the wall
Babylon
How long will this foolish magic carry on
Babylon
Who will love you when the fantasy of youth is gone
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
And did you play beneath the stars
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
How you played the dealers cards
Its over you rate two pages in some book
Your legacy
Lost in the night and still you sing your song
For those who will take heed
Heres what I really want to know
Did you see the writing on the wall
Babylon
How long will this foolish magic carry on
Babylon
Who will love you when the fantasy of youth is gone
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
And did you play beneath the stars
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
How you played the dealers cards...

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Up From Under

Well Im down here in the well
Looking back up at the hill
Well I thank heavens I fell
Must look more
Like myself
Now everyone is so kind
Everyone looks like
A long lost friend of mine
Im on top of the world again
When Im looking
Up from under babylon
I had a home in the fields
Earned my wage in the factories there
And I was raised by the mill
And I worked with my brothers there
I told my mother Id always write
I headed west for the coast
With the big city lights
Now mamma Im so sorry Ive forgotten
But now Im looking
Up from under babylon
Now tell me how far Ive been
And how deep was I in
Tell me how I conceived
The vanity to believe
That I would not be outnumbered
By the thumbs I have been under
Now stray dogs in the street
Learn how to beg, steal, borrow and cheat
And in the dead summer heat
I fell asleep with blood on my teeth
But those days before I met you girl
Were just ice cream falling down
On the shoes of my world
Im so happy that youre my friend
When were looking
Up from under babylon
When were looking
Up from under babylon

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Up From Under

Well Im down here in the well
Looking back up at the hill
Well I thank heavens I fell
Must look more
Like myself
Now everyone is so kind
Everyone looks like
A long lost friend of mine
Im on top of the world again
When Im looking
Up from under babylon
I had a home in the fields
Earned my wage in the factories there
And I was raised by the mill
And I worked with my brothers there
I told my mother Id always write
I headed west for the coast
With the big city lights
Now mamma Im so sorry Ive forgotten
But now Im looking
Up from under babylon
Now tell me how far Ive been
And how deep was I in
Tell me how I conceived
The vanity to believe
That I would not be outnumbered
By the thumbs I have been under
Now stray dogs in the street
Learn how to beg, steal, borrow and cheat
And in the dead summer heat
I fell asleep with blood on my teeth
But those days before I met you girl
Were just ice cream falling down
On the shoes of my world
Im so happy that youre my friend
When were looking
Up from under babylon
When were looking
Up from under babylon

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